Veronica adjusted Reggie's bedsheets across her body as she pressed against his back. The two were in his bedroom and only the two of them knew about their whereabouts. Reggie insisted on them 'celebrating' after the game, and celebrate big they did.
"I need to go, my parents will be home in a little while, I don't want them to give them any ideas," she said. Her body reared around the edge of the bed and she adroitly put her underwear back on.
"Oh I think they have an idea already, they're just too afraid to admit it. They might actually be secretly happy about it," Reggie said whilst staring at the bare back of his girlfriend.
"You know Reggie, it's a lot easier when you're a guy dealing with that issue than being a girl. My dad has André keeping two eyes on me all the time." She quickly put on her bra and placed the hook on the band.
"Oh like my mom isn't always on my case. She's worried that you're going to get pregnant. Besides, you're probably not raising any suspicion with the granny panties you are wearing," he coaxed.
"They're not granny panties, Reggie. Just because I don't wear thongs 24/7 for your liking doesn't mean my undies are from the 50's. Plus they are super comfortable," she said casing her fingers around them.
"I'll have to buy you some thongs for you for Christmas, one that feels super snug right up in there." Reggie hooked his fingers around the backside of her underwear and pulled them down a bit to get one last look at her tush before letting them go like a slingshot.
"How thoughtful of you," she sighed. She put on the rest of her clothes and checked her phone to see if Archie had responded, unbeknownst to her boyfriend, who she was standing back away from. "You know, we could have just gone out for a bite to eat instead of- you know, the usual."
"We can still go out somewhere. Do you want to go to a movie or something?" he feebly asked her.
"No, I think I'm going to head home now. My dad was picking me up some chicken tendies after the game. Don't want them to get too cold, do I now?"
Reggie adjusted himself on the bed. "Maybe I could stop by for a while. I'm sure your dad will want to know how the game was and I could fill him on everything."
Veronica bit her lips and looked to the side. She often enjoyed the company of her boyfriend but at other times he became too consuming and needed space from him. The return of Archie also made the ambiance of the night's game feel strangely melancholy. She had envisioned Archie scoring a winning touchdown and making the team to the Championship, albeit in a circumstance where she would be in his arms at the end of the game.
"I mean, maybe it would be best for us to have alone time for both of our families. I'm sure your dad would like to discuss the game with you. And your mom needs to give her little guy a kiss on the cheek of course."
"You know, it seemed like I was part of your family for a while. But, hey it's totally up to you I guess." Reggie got dressed and escorted her out to her car, leaving Veronica on the road in her Blue Subaru. After ten minutes or so, she reached her family's Mansion and traversed through the isolated arching road that led up to it on the hill. Smithers greeted her as she entered their 8 car garage and greeted her with a stern look on her face.
"Madame, I know I would be remiss to be a prude in this day and age, but I do believe you did not keep your original promise of returning here an hour after the game. I'm not going to ask but I hope you're reading for some line of 'questioning'." Smithers' features looked tired and he looked if as if he saw something once beautiful lose its luster. Perhaps he actually had.
Veronica made her way into the house where her cherished chicken tenders were on the kitchen table and her father was sitting, smiling on the table.
"Am I looking at a future Rockette? You were outstanding out there tonight. Maybe they'll discover you in New York."
"Oh daddy." Veronica hugged him. "It's cute that you try to pretend that we're not public figures and I could lead a normal life."
"Yes, I'm very sorry for that. I know you would prefer that pay your own bills and have to worry about your financial responsibility the rest of your life," he said with a sneering grin.
"Meaning you'll always have your paws in what I'm doing right?" she said glaring at him.
"Hmm, I guess that means you'll have to take up a waitressing job to get into college," he said smiling. Veronica rolled her eyes and bit her tongue.
"Alright daddy, I'm thankful for all you and mom have done. I love you," she said hugging again, this time in a slightly disingenuous manner.
"So Archie is back in town. Since when did that happen? Fred did not tell me anything about that."
Veronica rubbed her nose with a confused look on his face. "Yeah, that's something I'll have to ask Betty. I haven't talked to him in a while to be honest," she said before biting on a chicken tender.
"It won't be awkward with you two will it? Not that it is any of my business, as you've told me numerous times with all the boys in your life."
"No, it'll be fine. So how did the debate go?"
Hiram looked as though he had sweat dripping down his face. "Well, Frederick did good. I was quite eventful, I'll say that. People will definitely be talking about it, won't need to hear what happened from me."
Veronica had a worried look on her face and nearly choked on her nugget. "Oh no, don't tell me he ripped poor Ms. Cooper to shreds."
"Well he brought an important issue to attention and definitely delineated the difference between what she should have done and what he did do."
Veronica's eyes flared up as she immediately knew what she was talking about. "Oh god, you're talking about the incident with Archie and the teacher, aren't you." She bit her lip while Hiram's figures remained relaxed.
"Archie's name was not said during the debate, nor the name of the teacher. Rest assured his reputation will not be damaged."
"Well, whatever you say. Alice knew what she was getting into when she entered the world of politics and she should have told authorities. I was grossed out by that whole thing to be honest, it was only a matter of time."
Hiram patted her on the head. "Now that is the spirit. You're going to make a great business women one day." He left the room, and Veronica sat there in silence. Her thoughts were whirling amidst the euphoria of the game earlier and the impending layers upon layers of homework that was always stacked on by teachers who needed more grades before Christmas break. A part of her was disappointed she would not get to rest a bit for the football season with a very long basketball season coming up. It was a bit overwhelming at times, but no seemed to suspect that or care because she was 'privileged.'
Veronica would spent the rest of her weekend riding horseback, finishing up two papers and her Algebra II homework and the rest of the time just lying comatose on her bed and taking a break from all the stress. Even then, she could not completely rest as she felt a psychological absence of intimacy and would randomly feel spurs come on of wanting to be close with someone. Her current boyfriend was simply not providing it and it at times made her feel depressed. The coming week almost gave her a second wind.
Upon Monday, Veronica returned to school and greeted Betty at her locker, whom had a wide smile on her face.
"You look happy, did you two have a fine evening out and about," Veronica said in a perky manner.
"Oh nothing special, just a little ice cream date, which I guess was our fist 'official' date technically, if you can believe it. So nothing too special."
"So you're saying there was no real post-game action. Reggie and I had a little skin-on-skin action afterwards. Real eager too after a game like that."
Betty giggled. "No we didn't, although Archie definitely got a feel of something if you know what I mean." She shut her locker and the two headed to first period class of English, which conveniently enough, the prodigal son himself also had.
The class began sputtering out noises while a few others greeted when Archie entered the room, with even the teacher giving him an appreciative look.
"Archie Andrews, what impeccable timing for you to rejoin our class. We've just started our Greek Legends quarter a few weeks ago, and you certainly have achieved some heralded deeds," Ms. Caputo, the young English teacher said.
Archie merely blushed while a few others laughed at her comments. A few minutes after attendance and the usual opening week small-talk in class, Ms. Caputo refocused the topic of conversation to the previous reading passage.
"So in the Judgement of Paris, we see Eris, the goddess of Strife, being envious of not being invited to a party by Zeus, and decided to create tension in the party by planting a golden apple for the most beautiful goddess at the party. Naturally, a few different guests thought they deserved the tile. Who were they?"
"Athena, Hera and Aphrodite," Betty answered.
"Correct, and naturally when things come to a headlock, you need someone else to make that decision. Who did Zeus choose to select the most beautiful?"
"Paris," answered Veronica.
"That's right, not another god but rather a mere mortal who in Paris who was a shepherd. Why do you think he picked him over another God?"
"I think he wanted Paris to be overwhelmed by his choices and really have to careful with who he picked. Paris wasn't used to being surrounded by beautiful women and would be really honest with them. Another God would have used the situation to manipulate it in his favor," Archie answered, despite not having read the passage.
"Very good Archie, you're coming out swinging right out of the gates. And you bring up a good point, a God probably would have picked someone for his own gain, which is exactly what the goddess tried to do with Paris. They all stripped down naked for him, and even when that was not enough, they bribed him with three different things. Athena offered to give him wisdom in battle. Hera offered him two continents in Europe and Asia. And Aphrodite's bribe was the smallest, yet the one he took, was the most beautiful women in Helen of Troy. So before we move on to the next passage, which one do you think Paris should have chose."
"Clearly Hera's," Veronica piped in. "Having two continents at your command was larger than either of the other two. So much power you could use with all those nations." Ms. Caputo nodded and then called on someone else.
"I think picking Athena would have been smarter," Moose commented. "You could lose Europe and Asia through conquest. It would be smart to learn how to win a battle ensure you could always survive in a time like that."
"Not a bad choice. Would anyone have picked Aphrodite?" The teacher asked. Archie rose his hand.
"I would. The first could bring you happiness for a little while, but they would feel hollow after a while. Having the most beautiful women is what every man would want, and only one man could have. What man wouldn't want to have that?" A few of the guys nodded in the class before the teacher interrupted. Betty meanwhile looked at him with a doe-eyed look on her face.
"You made a good point of the first two not lasting forever, but doesn't beauty fade? And what if that women did not truly love you? What would you do then?" Ms. Caputo responded.
"Make her love you," he said chuckling. A few other guys joined him in laughter. Veronica rolled her eyes.
"Well, not everyone is gifted in that regard, Mr. Andrews. But I suppose that risk taking is why the Gods choose him. Paris himself was a ladies man and could not resist Aphrodite's seductive wiles. Maybe in a modern day setting, he would have picked you." The class laughed upon her remark and Archie looked around with an embarrassed look on his face.
"I'm only joking Archie. Now everyone do the reading on page 342 and finish the questions, and do the write up for the homework." The class would finish about 20 minutes later and Veronica managed to catch up with Archie before he left for his next class.
"I've been looking for you sports stud. Did you get my texts?" she said lightly tapping on the shoulder.
"I did, yeah. I got literally hundreds from a lot of people so I haven't had time to respond to all of them, yet. That and I was doing stuff with my dad and...
"Don't worry about it. You know I was thinking maybe we could hang out for a little bit. Maybe go to a movie, a round at Pop's, just to catch up."
"Yeah sure, maybe we could bring Betty and Reggie and make it a double date. That would make it more fun with the four of us."
Veronica exhaled. "I was thinking maybe actually just the two- well there were a few things I wanted to talk about that we never got a chance to. I mean you left so fast and we barely talked since then and... I don't know, I think it would be nice."
"You still aren't upset about what happened, are you?" Archie asked concernedly.
"No, of course not," Veronica said reassuringly. "I just think maybe since we had an emotional connection, or maybe still have, it be good to talk everything out."
Archie bit his lip and looked around. "I understand that, but- I don't know how to say this, but I just think- I just think it would feel too weird, you know. We did have a connection, a deep connection, like you said, and just hanging around someone like that without the- you know, the usual part of relationship just feels weird to me. That's how I've always felt after ending relationships, you have this expectation and once it's not there anymore... I think it would be better if we have breathing room from one another for a while. We can still be friends we just need..."
"Archie, it's okay. I completely understand. I'll let you catch up on all your classes," she said briefly holding his arm before saying goodbye. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, although she wish he had not done that in this instance.
Veronica walked away to her next class, her feelings changing from anxiety to stimulus overload. She was disappointed, perhaps not heartbroken, but still upset at the circumstance of Archie being there. He was back and she was not hers. And all she wanted right then was to have him back again.